


Six Times They Were in Love

by flitterflutterfly



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: 5+1 Things, Awkward Conversations, First Time, Humor, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-18
Updated: 2013-02-18
Packaged: 2017-11-29 18:31:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/690119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flitterflutterfly/pseuds/flitterflutterfly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The five times someone else had to tell John and Rodney of their respective feelings for each other and the one time they figured it out themselves.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Six Times They Were in Love

**Author's Note:**

> For the mini!bang of Stargateland’s final phase: Everything I love about Stargate. 
> 
> Each 'time' comes in the season by which it's named, so **III** is set in the third season. That means - yep you guessed it - **VI** is set post show.

**I.**

Rodney cursed under his breath, pulling his hand back to shake it. “Three easy steps,” he mocked. “I’d like to see the manufacturers try to set up this tent on an alien planet with only a purple atmosphere for lighting.”

“Let me,” Teyla said, taking the hammer from him and driving the stake into the hard ground with one swing.

Rodney sighed, sitting back on his butt with a groan. “You know, I always wanted to go camping as a kid.”

“Not as advertised, huh doc?” Ford laughed behind his hand.

“Okay, folks, perimeter is secure,” John approached the makeshift camp and then looked up at the purple sky. “Suppose we should turn in for the night before continuing onto the settlement, Teyla?”

“I believe that is a good plan, Major,” Teyla nodded.

“Cool,” John scratched the back of his head. Rodney followed the movement and then caught himself, snapping his eyes away from John’s too perfect face. Military, he reminded himself. He’s military and way too beautiful for you anyways.

“Guess it’s you and me, sir?” Ford grinned and gestured towards the tent.

Rodney was just about to head to his own tent, or at least the one he supposed would be his, when Teyla spoke up, a frown on her face.

“On my world it was customary for those in courting to share accommodations during hunting and trading trips. It was often said that no couple should be allowed full joining unless they had been on at least three such trips together, to ensure compatibility,” Teyla said. “Is it not so, on your world?”

“What?” John asked, looking just as confused as Rodney felt.

Teyla looked from Rodney to John. “You two are not in courting?”

“That, I-” Rodney gaped. “You, but this, um...”

“Teyla,” John began with a glance towards Ford.

Ford held up his hands. “Look, sir, I figure what a man wants is what a man wants and no government should tell him otherwise.”

“Your government forbids your courtship?” Teyla’s eyes flashed. “That is surely something we should have been informed of before entering in an alliance with your people, Major.”

“It’s not illegal in Canada,” Rodney offered, because this conversation was starting to get weird. He figured he might be dreaming.

“You’re not too subtle about it, sir,” Ford offered. “If you want to share a tent, I won’t say anything.”

John looked at Rodney with a raised eyebrow and Rodney shrugged. “Don’t look at me. You’re the one that’s apparently been obviously crushing.”

“To be fair,” Ford cut in. “You both have.”

Rodney blushed and John’s eyebrows rose higher. “Okay then,” he said, “I guess we’re sharing a tent,  _Rodney_.”

Rodney nodded, speechless as he resigned himself to a night stuck with a boner and an awkward conversation where John assured him that no he wasn’t actually interested, it was all a joke, wasn’t it?

They all separated, settling down into their tents. Rodney once again cursed the slip of his arm that had the fourth tent go falling down a ravine. He wondered if this was the team’s way of getting back at them.

Inside the tent, Rodney awkwardly sat on top of his bedroll, watching as John closed the flap. His breath caught as John turned back to him. “Look, Sheppard-”

“Hold it,” John said. “I just want you to know that no matter what the team says, I don’t like the idea of being distracted during a mission.” He paused. “And besides, even with that ass I don’t put out before I even get a first date.”

“Really?” Rodney gaped. “You’re not playing me here?”

John raised his eyebrow again. “No, Rodney. I’m not.”

“Oh, well,” Rodney cleared his throat. “How about dinner on the east pier, say around eight tomorrow?”

“Perfect.” John grinned and Rodney’s heart skipped a beat.

**II.**

“I don’t get it,” Ronon said.

John looked over at the runner, swinging his arms in a nice stretch. “What don’t you get?” he asked. “Wait, no, I can guess. All of it, right?” He waved his hand around, encompassing the section of the city they were about to continue jogging in. “Sometimes I don’t really get it either.”

Ronon’s mouth twitched in a sort of feral smile. “That,” he agreed. And then his smile dropped and he seemed contemplative.

In the past couple of weeks since Ronon had joined them, John had learned that the best way to get information out of the man was to wait for him to reveal it. So he just jerked his head and watched out of the corner of his eyes as they started back up a steady pace.

A mile out from the end of their run, Ronon let out a harsh breath. “Do your people not have pair-bonding?”

“What?” John nearly tripped.

“Handfasting, joinings, mating,” Ronon frowned at him.

“Uh, yeah, we do,” John said. “Do you… why do you ask?” He wondered if Ronon had perhaps caught the eyes of some lucky lady on the city. He wondered if that would be a problem, but he figured Elizabeth wouldn’t mind.

“Are you mated?” Ronon asked.

John did trip then, but he recovered. “No,” he said. His mind flashed to a certain blue-eyed scientist, but he pulled himself back quickly. “I’m not in a relationship.”

“Relationship,” Ronon repeated. “Why not?”

“It’s not…” John paused. “I don’t really have time right now, new commander of the city and all, and I-”

“Does he know that?” Ronon interrupted.

John stopped and frowned. “What?”

“Does he know that you aren’t pushing him away because you don’t care for him?” Ronon looked away. “I nearly made that mistake with Melena. Once.”

Who's Melena? John wanted to ask, but something in Ronon’s eyes stopped him. “I’m not sure we’re talking about the same thing right now,” he said instead. He hadn’t thought he’d been  _that_  obvious. He hoped not, not now that he was military commander of the city.

“Yeah,” Ronon snorted. “McKay, the way he looks at you,” he let out a harsh laugh, “that’s not the kind of thing that you should let simmer and die, John Sheppard. Not when life is so short.”

“Rodn- McKay doesn’t like me that way,” John said, wincing as he realized how much that made him sound like a thirteen year old girl.

“But you like him that way,” Ronon noted. “On my world, there was a saying.  _Where there is two hearts thumping, their bearers hear only one_.”

John bit down his immediate response to that. Before he could think of a better way to make Ronon understand, to have him realize that two guys, even if Rodney was harboring some sort of crush on him, just wasn’t done, couldn’t be done… before he could even think of a way to lie about what his own heart was saying, the radio beeped.

“Colonel Sheppard,” Lorne said over the comm. “You’re needed in the main lab.”

John tapped the radio. “Coming.”

Two hours later, John was in his room, scrubbing at the goo that had matted his hair. “That’s the last time I pressing a button that says  _do not press_ ,” he seethed.

His door sounded with a knock. John huffed. “Who is it?”

“Uh, it’s Rodney, McKay, Rodney McKay,” came the voice from the other in.

“Come in McKay,” John said. The door  _whooshed_  open to reveal Rodney, holding a jar in his hands and looking a bit nervous. “Another emergency?”

“No, ah,” Rodney’s eyes traced his hair and then down his face. “I brought you some conditioner. It should help with the… hair. I made it myself, um, but I’m unsure how it will react with whatever gel you usually use-”

“I don’t use gel,” John said, too used to that question to even get angry at it anymore. “My hair just grows like that.” He’d had too many commanders ask the same thing, ordering him to shave his head in a buzz cut. And he did, only to have it grow back the next week.

It was, in a word, frustrating. As his own commander on Atlantis, he was happy enough to let it maintain itself in it’s slightly-longer-than-protocol-demands position.

“Oh,” Rodney muttered. He thrust the little jar forward. “Here, take it.”

“Thanks,” John said, his fingers brushing against Rodney’s as he took it. He tried not to notice as Rodney shivered at the touch, but Ronon’s words echoed at him.

“If that’s all,” Rodney began.

“Wait, Mc- Rodney,” John cleared his throat and with a mental nudge he asked Atlantis to close the door. She complied.

Rodney turned wide blue eyes on him. “You’re not going to kill me for the goo thing, right,” he squeaked. “Cause that was not my fault.”

“No,” John stepped closer, wondering if he was reading this right, if maybe Ronon had misinterpreted Rodney’s interest.

But no, Rodney leaned into him, looking almost drugged. Yeah, John thought. He brushed fingers against the scientist’s cheek. “John,” Rodney whispered.

“Thanks for the conditioner,” John murmured back.

Rodney blushed, his face an attractive pink, and under John’s hand, he nodded.

**III.**

“John, Rodney, my office,” Elizabeth’s voice rang clear over the radio.

Rodney scowled, setting down his laptop with a thud. The other scientist’s in the lab gave him scared looks. Good, he thought, let them simmer. He knew he’d been cranky all morning, but he figured they should be kept on their toes.

It had nothing to do with a stupid mop of hair and aviator sunglasses. Nothing at all.

Rodney took a deep breath, approaching the door to Elizabeth’s office. He could see that John was already there, his back rigid as he listened to whatever it was that Elizabeth was saying,

He opened the door and stalked right up to the desk. “Look, Elizabeth, let’s just get this over with because I’m very busy in the labs right now.”

“Okay, Rodney,” Elizabeth said, the tilt of her head telling Rodney that she wasn’t amused. “I don’t care who started the fight, but two days is long enough and I’m ending it.”

“It’s nothing,” John said, mouth tight. “There’s no fight.”

“Really?” Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “What, did one of you refuse to put out. Honestly,  _this_  is why dating within your occupation is a bad idea, but I understand. I do, we live here so it’s hardly the usual job.”

Rodney blinked at her. “I’m not following.”

“This lovers’ spat you have going on,” Elizabeth said, crossing her arms. “It needs to stop. I don’t care how you resolve it,” she told them. “Just, kiss and make up before you wreck our command structure. I’ve already had fifty complaints this day.”

“Elizabeth,” John said, sounding so scandalized that Rodney burst out laughing.

“Stop fooling yourselves,” Elizabeth shook her head and headed towards the door, “and don’t have sex in my office!”

The door closed behind her and silence permeated between them for a moment, before John sighed. “I don’t even remember why I’m mad at you.”

“Me neither,” Rodney admitted. “It was something stupid.”

“Yeah,” John laughed. “But hey, so Elizabeth thinks we’re dating.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Rodney agreed, but his laugh got caught in his throat and he looked away.

John’s did too. “Ridiculous?”

Rodney closed his eyes. “Maybe not?”

There was more silence, and then John let out a deep breath. “Maybe not.”

**IV.**

Carson slipped his stethoscope back over his neck. “Looks like you two didn’t pick up anything nasty for your mission,” he said.

John nodded. “Good, thanks Carson.”

“Wait,” Carson held up a hand. “Before you go, I’d like to do a rectal exam on the both of you.”

“A what?” Rodney spurted. “Why in the galaxy would we need that?”

“Because you two are a couple, aren’t you?” Carson shrugged. “Honestly, this… this silly little dance of yours is worse than my mother’s favorite soaps.”

Rodney’s face looked horrified and John knew his must copy that.

“Oh, no no, I can be perfectly discreet,” Carson amended, misinterpreting their expressions. “Lord knows I’ve had to be in the past.”

“I don’t think I should know that,” John interjected. “Doc, it’s not… you’re not quite-”

“John and I are just friends, Carson,” Rodney said. John flashed him a grateful smile.

“You don’t have to lie to me,” Carson shook his head. “I’m gonna do that rectal scan regardless.”

John sighed. “We really are just friends,” he said. “There’s nothing, Rodney was dating Katie, remember?”

“Yeah, and he broke up with her because she got tired of playing second best,” Carson scowled. “Honestly, I know you’re the military commander here, Sheppard, but there aren’t many on Atlantis who would care. Not once they’ve gotten to know you, both of you.”

“I think that’s supposed to mean something,” Rodney said. “But I don’t know what.”

“Neither do I,” John admitted. “Look, Carson, you don’t have to worry about me, I know what it feels like to be torn, and Rodney would probably come the minute he was in pain, right?”

Carson frowned. “Well, aye, that’s probably true.”

“Good, now I’m getting hungry which means, Rodney, you must be starving?” John gave Rodney the  _play along_  glance.

“Aren’t they having blue jello today?” Rodney snapped his fingers. “We should go before the botanists steal it all. We’ll see you later, okay Carson?”

They rushed out of the infirmary before the doctor could call him back. Halfway down the hall, though, Rodney stopped. “You know what being torn feels like?”

“Let’s not, Rodney, and say we did,” John winced. He’d hoped the scientist wouldn’t pick up on that, or at least, ignore it.

“No, no you said you know what it feels like to be torn,” Rodney pinned him with bright blue eyes. “Which implies that you’ve had anal intercourse before. Which implies that you do occasionally like men, which implies that Carson might be right.”

“What?” John gaped. “That, that makes even less sense than what Carson was spouting.”

Rodney rolled his eyes. “Carson said that we both are interested in each other, sexually, possibly romantically, and since I know that I am, I thought he was just wrong about you, but if you aren’t opposed to men, that means that maybe he’s right.”

“You like men?” John gaped. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Rodney turned away, confidence gone suddenly. “And I hope you do too cause I might have just totally screwed our friendship over which would suck cause I’ve never had a friend as long as we’ve been friends, most of the time they figure out that they hate me-”

“Rodney,” John cut him off before Rodney could get ahead of himself. “I don’t hate you.”

“Does that mean you do like me?” Rodney’s eyes were hopeful, too hopeful.

John looked around, but then again he’d never been worried about his career very much before, not when it mattered. “Yeah,” he nodded. “Even romantically.”

“That… that’s good,” Rodney looked lost, all of the sudden, as if he hadn’t been expecting that.

John laughed. “It is, isn’t it?”

**V.**

He knew what that look on her face meant before she even opened her mouth. “We’re breaking up, aren’t we?” Rodney half-asked, mouth twisted in a sort of resigned scowl.

Jennifer’s jaw snapped closed and she nodded. After a moment’s awkward silence, she cleared her throat. “I think we both knew this was coming.”

“Yeah,” Rodney nodded. “We did.”

“I was a bit of an idiot, actually,” Jennifer said. “Katie did warn me, but I thought… well I thought I’d be different.”

“Wait, Katie warned you?” Rodney’s mouth twisted. “What did she say?”

Jennifer waved a hand in the air. “Oh, nothing bad, Rodney. You’re not the most attentive boyfriend in the world, but with our jobs I can’t really expect you to be.”

“Then what?” Rodney scratched his arm, suddenly nervous. “Was this about the almost engagement, is that it? Cause I didn’t… there were extenuating circumstances.”

“Yeah, I know,” Jennifer rolled her eyes. “I’ve known since the time with the Ancient shrine,” she sighed. “Though I suppose I should have known before then. I was just… too blind, I guess.”

“What are you talking about?” Rodney snapped. He didn’t like to be reminded of the time he’d gone brain damaged and Jennifer had never brought it up before.

Jennifer’s eyes met him squarely. “ _I need to tell you something Jennifer_ ,” she parroted. “ _I- I love you_.”

Rodney felt his face go red, “that…”

“You weren’t talking to me, were you?” Jennifer asked. “You couldn’t say what you wanted so you used my name, but that wasn’t for me.”

And, in the face of her firm stare, Rodney could only nod. “I didn’t want to forget.”

Jennifer let out a harsh laugh. “You didn’t forget. You never forgot him, not even at the very end.”

“I’m sorry,” Rodney whispered.

“I just want one thing, Rodney,” Jennifer said. “One thing.”

Rodney nodded, his gut twisting in his stomach. A beautiful girl had practically fallen in his arms and he couldn’t keep her because he couldn’t let go of his best friend. Couldn’t let go of his feelings.

“Tell John,” Jennifer stated.

“Tell me what?” John’s voice interrupted them, coming around the corner. “Hey, Rodney we’ve got a mission in thirty, remember. Sorry to interrupt,” he nodded to Jennifer, his eyes hard for just a moment before they calmed into calculated disinterest.

And yeah, Rodney had known that John didn’t really like Jennifer, but that was the first time he’d caught more than just dislike.

“Tell John that you love him,” Jennifer said, her voice just as harsh as John’s eyes had been.

Rodney froze, and he noticed and John did as well. “What?” the colonel asked.

Jennifer raised an eyebrow, waiting. Vindictive bitch, Rodney thought, but there was no real bite even in his mind. He felt… tired.

He was so tired of keeping it in. “John.”

“Rodney, what did she-” John began.

“I do,” Rodney cut him off. “Love you, I mean. And I know I shouldn’t, you’re my best friend, but I can’t stop. I’ve tried, God I’ve tried, but I love you too much.”

John looked whiplashed. “You… I thought- you aren’t gay.”

Rodney shrugged. “Bi, maybe, it’s never really bothered me, gender.”

It was such a relief, getting it off his chest, that he barely even noticed Jennifer leaving.

“And you love me?” John asked.

“Yes, John,” Rodney rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I do,” he added, slower. “It won’t- I don’t want it to affect our friendship, but I know you military men aren’t always the most tolerant and…”

John’s laugh startled him. “We’re more tolerant than you think,” John muttered.

“So we can still be friends?” Rodney asked.

“No,” John shook his head. “No, not with that… God, no Rodney. I don’t think I’d be able to stand just being friends with you when I know that.”

Rodney pulled back, stunned and, if he was being honest with himself, more than a bit hurt. “Well I’m sorry, I can’t help it.”

“Good,” John stepped forward. “It’ll make this easier.”

And he leaned in, lightly pressing his lips to Rodney’s. Rodney reacted before he brain could catch up, pushing back hungrily. John swallowed his gasp and pressed closer.

“You,” Rodney panted, pulling back. “Really?”

“Really,” John smiled, his eyes glowing. “Really, Rodney.”

**VI.**

“John,” Rodney slid down next to him.

John leaned back, resting his arm just around the curve of Rodney’s back. “Hey, did you and Radek manage to figure the conductor out.”

“I wish,” Rodney sighed. He shifted, a heavy weight against John’s side.

Times like this meant the world to John. He looked out across the water, his legs tangling with Rodney’s off the end of the pier, and thought of all the times they almost let this go.

“You got a new bunch of marines today,” Rodney stated.

“Yeah,” John’s lips twitched.

“How did that go?” Rodney asked.

John glanced over at his lover of six years. “I think they’re being warned in advance. I only had to beat one ass to the floor this time to prove that a gay commanding officer can still fight.”

“Huh,” Rodney’s eyes twinkled a bit. “Well it’s only been a couple of months on DADT’s eradication.”

John laughed, leaning down to kiss Rodney’s lips softly. “We've had to hide this for years, Rodney, ever since the supply closet on Antarctica, but I would have quit my job before quitting you.”

“I can’t quit you,” Rodney quoted back. “I love you too much for that.”

John smiled. “Far too much, Rodney. You’re my whole universe.”

Rodney laughed and pressed a hand to John’s thigh. “And you’re mine.”


End file.
